Device for applying coatings to electric conductors



y 1934- A. P. i- HNSKY 1,957,212

DEVICE FOR APPLYING COATINGS TO ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed Dec. 5. 1932IN VEN TOR.

ATTO EY.

Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR APPLYING COATINGS TOELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Anthony P. Hinsky, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Pyro Products Corpora tion, Brooklyn, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application December 5, 1932, Serial No. 645,736

Claims.

This invention relates to devices for applying coatings to electricconductors; and the object of the invention is to provide a device inthe form of a die or molding tool having means for center- 5 ing aconductor strand therein, and other means was for applying even depositsof a compound or coating to the conductor; a further object being toprovide a tool of the class described wherein the centering means isadjustable so as to adapt the tool to wires of different sizes and tocompensate for irregularities in wire sizes; and with these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and forthe purpose specified which is simple in construction, efficient in use,and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention described and claimed herein is divisional as to certainsubject matter broadly disclosed but not specifically claimed in a priorapplication filed by me May 3, 1932, Serial Number 608,932, which hassince issued in Patent Number 1,890,292 granted December 6, 1932, ofwhich this application constitutes a continuation in part, and is fullydisclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanyingdrawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement aredesignated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional View showing one of my improveddevices and indicating the method of its use.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of a modified form of device which I employ.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional view through another form of devicewhich I employ.

Fig. 6 is a side and sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 5, thesection being on the line 6-6; and,

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 are sectional views of different forms of conductorswhich may be made according to my invention.

For the purpose of illustrating the use of my invention, I have shown inFig. 1 of the drawing, a part of an electric conductor consisting of awire 10, rubber jacket 11, suitable fibrous jacket of insulatingmaterial 12, which may be treated with a saturant or other composition13. At 14, I have shown a coating compound which is first applied to theconductor and then is passed through one of my improved dies or formingdevices 15. The coating 14 may be a compound of any desired characterand may consist of a colored compound such as disclosed in Patent Number1,887,851 granted November 15, 1932.

The device 15 in the construction shown is in the form of a disk orplate 16 having a large central opening 17, in which is supported ablock 18 having a plurality of radially disposed centering fins 19,three of which are employed in the construction shown. These fins are inthe form of thin metallic strips which are of greater length than thethickness of the plate 16 and plug 18 so as to provide long bearingsurfaces which operate to straighten the wire or to remove kinkstherefrom in passing through the centering device and mold.

In passing through the device, the fins 19 in engaging the conductorstrand form a corresponding number of longitudinal recesses 14a in thecoating, between which are even deposits 14b or deposits of eventhickness, the same being formed by the bore 18a in the member 18between the fins 19, it being understood that the inner ends of the finsproject into the bore 18a to a degree governing the thickness of thedeposit to be arranged upon the conductor.

After passing through the centering device and mold 15, the conductorwith the deposits 14b thereon then enters a suitable ironing die orslushing member 20 which slushes the coating material 14b into therecesses 14a and forms on the resulting product a continuous coating 140of the compound 14, which is of even or substantially even thicknessthroughout.

With a device of the class described, it is possible to apply compoundsor other coatings to electric conductor or other strands to provide aneven thickness of the coating so as to insure a complete envelopment andcovering of the strand or any coatings thereon arranged immediatelybeneath the coating 140. In other Words, my improved device eliminatesthe application of uneven or elliptical deposits of a coating onconductor strands.

In the construction shown, the plug 18 is held in the plate 16 by meansof set screws 21, and it will be understood that plugs having differentbores 18a and different arrangement of fins 19 may be employed. Inconnection with the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as well as with thedevices shown inFigs. 3 to 6 inclusive, it will be understood that theresulting product may be circular in form as seen in Fig. '7, which isconsistent with the showing in Fig. 1, or the conductor may be of atriangular form as seen at 22 in Fig. 8, or of an elliptical form asseen at 23 in Fig. 9, in which latter figure, two independent conductors10a and 101) are employed. In Fig. 8 of the drawing, the outer coatingis represented at 22a and in Fig. 9 of the drawing, the coating is shownat 23a.

\ In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification ofthe construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in these figures, 24represents a plate, in the bore 25 of which is arranged a button or moldcollar 26 which is cup-shaped in form and the closed side wall of whichis provided with an opening 26a which governs the size or thickness ofthe compound disposed on the conductor strand. In other Words, theaperture 26a is equivalent to the aperture 18a.

The plate 24 is provided with three transverse apertures 24a in whichare mounted centering blades or fins 27 which are adjustable radially inblocks 28 disposed on opposite sides of the plate by provided elongatedapertures 27a in the blades, through which screws 28a pass for clampingthe blades in different positions of radial adjustment as will beapparent. It will also be noted that the inner ends of the fins orblades 27 are cut out 01' recessed centrally thereof as seen at 272) toreceive the button or mold member 26, and also to retain said memberagainst lateral displacement from the plate 24. With this construction,it will be understood that different size molds or buttons 26 may beemployed, that is to say, buttons having different apertures 26a.therein so as to com pensate the device to wires of different sizeswithin the limits governed by the size of the aperture 25 in the plate.In the use of the different size members 26, the fins or blades 2'7 areadjusted radially so as to bring their inner ends in position to engageand center the conductor in or with respect to the aperture 26a. It willappear that the fins or blades 27 are independently adjustable.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, I have shown another modificationwherein means is provided for collectively adjusting the fins or blades.In this construction, I employ a supporting plate 29, to one face ofwhich is secured a tubular body 30 having a plurality of radial slots orgrooves 31 in which fins or blades 32 are slidably and radially movable,the outer end of the body 30 being externally threaded as seen at 30a toreceive a threaded collar 33, the inner end of which has an outwardlyflaring flange 34 which seats in and operates in angular slots 35 formedin the fins 32. It will thus be seen that as the collar 33 is rotated onthe screw 30a, the fins 32 may be drawn inwardly and outwardly dependingupon the direction of rotation. The inner ends of the fins 32 arereduced and terminate in relatively thin guide fingers 36, which are ofsufficient length to compensate for a reasonable degree of wear so as torender long life to the fins 32, it being understood, however, thatthese fins may be replaced whenever desired.

The ends 36 are divided centrally by slots 36a in which is supported abutton or mold member 37, the bore 37a of which controls the diameter ofthe compound applied to the wire, and the inner ends 36 of the finsextend inwardly to a degree greater than the diameter of the aperture37a as in the other forms of construction. The tubular member 30 has alarge conical opening 3011 which compensates for wires of differentsizes used in the particular centering device and die employed. Withthis type of device it will be understood that an adjustment may be madeduring the operation of the apparatus employed for applying coatingsonto the conductors so as to properly adjust the centering device to thewire and to eliminate unnecessary friction on the wire and yet insureproper alinement and centering of the wire or conductor within theaperture 37.

With the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it will be apparent that molds37 of different sizes or with different size apertures therein may beemployed within the limits of the device. At this time, it will also beapparent that with the different forms of construction shown, the sizeof the molds and centering devices will be made to suit conductors ofdifferent sizes and the mold members, and arrangement of the guide andcentering fins will be such as to produce the required contour of thefinished product.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the outstanding features ofmy invention reside in the provision of means involving fixed oradjustable blades or fins for centering a strand in its passage througha mold, the latter having a mold element forming between the fins orblades engaging the strand, deposits of even thickness upon the strandand arranged longitudinally and spaced circumferentially thereof, thenumber of deposits being governed by the number of blades employed.

At this time, it will also be understood that instead of smoothing outthe deposits to form a uniform thickness of the coating as at 140 inFig. 1 of the drawing, it will also appear that the strand may bemomentarily left with the recesses or grooves therein formed by the finsor blades to facilitate the application of other or outer coatings tothe strand in accordance with the teachings set forth in my priorapplication Serial Number 608,933, filed May 3, 1932.

It will also be understood that my invention is not necessarily limitedto the application of compounds or coatings to strands of the characterherein disclosed, nor am I limited to the particular structure 01"electric conductors as herein named.

However, it will appear that in this type of conductors employing waterand fireproof saturants disposed upon the jacket 12, and especially whenthese saturants are black in color, it is important in applying acolored coating, to equalize the distribution of the coating material 14to provide a symmetric arrangement of the coating on the conductor as at140. In this connection, it will be understood that the surplus of thecompound 14 is removed by the fins 19, and the outer surface of themolding element employed, and various other changes in and modificationsof the construction herein shown and described may be made within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In the art of forming coated electric conductors, a mold devicehaving a bore into and through which a conductor coated with a compoundis adapted to pass, said bore forming a mold passage controlling thethickness of the compound applied to the conductor in passing throughthe device, means extending slightly into the mold passage atcircumferentially spaced intervals for engaging and centering theconductor therein to provide even deposits of the coating on theconductor, and said means extending at opposite sides of the moldpassage and longitudinally of the conductor to form relatively longbearings to straighten the conductor in its movement through saiddevice.

2. A mold device for applying coatings to elongated strands, said devicehaving a mold element 1 through which the strand is adapted to pass,means for centering the strand in its passage through said element toform an even deposit of the coating on said strand to provide a depositof the coating on the strand of even thickness circumferentiallythereof, said means comprising a plurality of fins spacedcircumferentially of the strand and engaging the periphery of the strandto center it with respect to said mold element, and said fins beingcomparatively long and extending at opposite sides of the mold elementto straighten the strand in its passage through said element.

3. A mold device for applying coatings to elongated strands, said devicehaving a mold element through which the strand is adapted to pass, meansfor centering the strand in its passage through said element to form aneven deposit of the coating on said strand to provide a deposit of thecoating on the strand of even thickness circumferentially thereof, saidmeans comprising a plurality of fins spaced circumferentially of thestrand and engaging the periphery of the strand to center it withrespect to said mold element, said fins being comparatively long andextending at opposite sides of the mold element to straighten the strandin its passage through said element, and means for adjusting said finstoward and from the strand to compensate for strands of different sizes.

4. A mold device for applying coatings to elongated strands, said devicehaving a mold element through which the strand is adapted to pass, meansfor centering the strand in its passage through said element to form aneven deposit of the coating on said strand to provide a deposit of thecoating on the strand of even thickness circumferentially thereof, saidmeans comprising a plurality of fins spaced circumferentially of thestrand and engaging the periphery of the strand to center it withrespect to said mold element, said fins being comparatively long andextending at opposite sides of the mold element to straighten the strandin its passage through said element, means for adjusting said finstoward and from the strand to compensate for strands of different sizes,and said mold element being detachable with respect to said fins wherebymold elements of different sizes may be employed to compensate fordifierent adjustments of said fin and for strands of different sizes.

5. A mold device for applying coatings to elongated strands, said devicehaving a mold element through which the strand is adapted to pass, meansfor centering the strand in its passage through said element to form aneven deposit of the coating on said strand to provide a deposit of thecoating on the strand of even thickness circumferentially thereof, saidmeans comprising a plurality of fins spaced circumferentially of thestrand and engaging the periphery of the strand to center it withrespect to said mold element, said fins being comparatively long andextending at opposite sides of the mold element to straighten the strandin its passage through said element, means for adjusting said finstoward and from the strand to compensate for strands of different sizes,said mold element being detachable with respect to said fins wherebymold elements of different sizes may be employed to compensate fordifferent adjustments of said fin and for strands of different sizes,and said fin adjusting means involving a single element whereby saidfins are collectively adjusted.

6. A device for applying coatings of even thickness onto an elongatedstrand at circumferentially spaced intervals to provide on the strandintermediate said coatings recesses arranged longitudinally of thestrand, said device involving a mold element and a plurality of finsspaced circumferentially of said element, the inner ends of the finsengaging the strand to center the same with respect to the mold formingpassage of said element in passing therethrough, said fins forming thelongitudinal recesses in the resulting product, and means forcollectively adjusting said fins toward and from the center or axis ofthe mold element.

7. A device for applying coatings of even thickness onto an elongatedstrand at circumferentially spaced intervals to provide on the strandintermediate said coatings recesses arranged longitudinally of thestrand, said device involving a mold element and a plurality of finsspaced circumferentially of said element, the inner ends of the finsengaging the strand to center the same with respect to the mold formingpassage of said element, said fins forming the longitudinal recesses inthe resulting product, and means for collectively adjusting said finstoward and from the strand, said last named means involving a memberadjustably longitudinally with respect to the strand and having a partslidably engaging said fins to move said fins inwardly and outwardly inthe difierent adjustments of said part.

8. A device for applying colored coating compounds to electricconductors treated with a saturant after the application of a coloredcompound to the conductor, said device having a mold element having abore through which the conductor coated with the compound is passed,means for centering the conductor in the bore of said element in thepassage of the conductor through said element, and said means producingof the compound circumferentially spaced coating deposits of eventhickness throughout the circumference on said strand with recessesformed between said deposits by said centering means, and said centeringmeans being in the form of relatively thin blades arrangedlongitudinally of the axis of said bore and having portions parallelingsaid axis and projecting at opposite sides of said element.

9. In the art of forming coated electric conductors, a mold devicehaving a bore into and through which a conductor coated with a compoundis adapted to pass, said bore forming a mold passage controlling thethickness of the compound applied to the conductor in passing throughthe device, means extending slightly into an area common to that of themold passage at circumferentially spaced intervals for engaging andcentering the conductor in said mold passage to provide an even depositof the coating on the conductor, said means including a plurality ofblades, means for adjusting said blades toward and from the axis of themold passage to compensate for conductors of different sizes, and amember engaging all of said blades for collectively adjusting the same.

10. A mold device for applying coatings to elongated strands, saiddevice having a mold element including a bore through which the strandis adapted to pass, a plurality of radially spaced members arranged atone side of the bore of said element and having relatively long inneredges extending parallel to each other and to the axis of the bore withsaid edges projecting slightly into the cross sectional area defined bythe bore of said element to center the strand within the bore and tostraighten said strand in its passage into said bore.

ANTHONY P. HINSKY.

